Investigating upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) varietal performance in alternative row arrangements in Georgia

With grower interest in skip and wide row cotton systems, varietal performance in such systems has become a major question. An experiment was conducted in 2022 and 2023 in Tifton and Midville, GA, evaluating three row arrangements (standard 91-cm row spacing, 2 × 1 skip row, and 183-cm row spacing or wide row) and four commercially available varieties (Stoneville [ST] 5091 Bollgard 3 Xtendflex [B3XF], Phytogen [PHY] 400 Widestrike 3 Roundup Flex Enlist [W3FE], DynaGro [DG] 3799 B3XF, and Deltapine [DP] 1840 B3XF). There were no interactions between variety and row arrangement for any response variable, indicating the best variety for standard row spacings would also be the best variety in alternative row arrangements. Plant populations were reduced 32% and 53% in 2 × 1 skip-row and wide-row systems, respectively, compared to standard row arrangements, which accomplishes the major goal of these systems in reducing seed cost. Boll rot and hard lock were reduced in wide row treatments only, which could benefit cotton growers in the lower Southeast. However, reductions in lint yield were associated with 2 × 1 skip row (all site years) and wide row arrangements (three out of four site-years) compared to the grower standard. Differences among varieties were observed in plant heights, lint yield, and fiber quality, which is to be expected. These results confirm much of the work conducted on skip and wide row cotton systems and indicate that for growers in the lower Southeast to achieve maximum lint yields, standard row arrangements are superior to alternative row arrangements.